Shocking
“Shocked” is how best to describe the general reaction when news broke yesterday that Police Chief Commissioner Derrick Holiday had been arrested. While there had been rumours about his private behaviour and lack of timely action in the Loor case, few would have suspected that he might be directly involved in illegal activities related to his job.
Mind you, he has not yet been formally charged and obviously is innocent until proven guilty, like every other suspect, but the allegations are serious. It is not clear at this point if the plans to transfer him to the Directorate of Justice in Willemstad announced only a few days ago had anything to do with the reason for his detention.
However, the arrest is another major blow to the management of the local Police Force following the conviction of the former Immigration chief, Commissioner Marcel Loor.
It also gives the Windward Islands Police Force the dubious honour of having both of the two highest-ranking police officers ever to be arrested in the entire Dutch Kingdom. That in itself is no reason to have doubt in the remaining police leaders, however.
In fact, what the police now need most is for the general public not to lose confidence in local law enforcement. There is no reason for that and Acting Chief Commissioner Richard Panneflek has returned to the island to assume his responsibility and ensure calm in the force, while the Justice Minister is recruiting an interim head for the Police Force.
The incident may be reason for Dutch politicians and media to cast even more doubt over St. Maarten’s ability to take care of its own law enforcement when it attaints country status, while especially the American media may find it cause to be even more critical of the local Police Force in connection with the disappearance of Leta Cordes.
The two have nothing to do with each other, however. The Cordes case is being handled simply as a missing person case up to now, because there are no direct indications of a crime and her husband, the last person to see her, is cooperating with authorities.
As for the general criticism of local law enforcement, it should be realised that it is because the system actually works that these matters were tackled and the two high-ranking police officials were arrested in the first place. Ultimately, that is the most important thing.
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